Corpse
"Corpse" is a term used to describe the zombies of the romantic comedy film and novel Warm Bodies. These creatures are very similar to other cinematic zombies in that they are human beings killed and reanimated by a virus and are compelled to feed on living flesh. However, there are a number of significant differences that set them apart from other zombie types. Origin The origin of the Corpses is largely unknown. Theory has it that mankind had succumbed to some manner of weaponized contagion that may have been released by accident or intentionally, spreading across the Earth and bringing about the collapse of human society. The remnants of humanity have barricaded themselves inside fortified strongholds, surviving by scavenging whatever resources they can from beyond their walls. Biology The standard Corpse appears similar to a normal human, wearing whatever clothing it wore prior to its initial infection. The virus stops the infectee's heart and greatly reduces the neurological activity of the brain, creating a mindless, feral creature driven by instinct. The skin of the Corpse becomes pale and sickly while the blood becomes dark. With the heart no longer functioning, blood ceases to circulate. As such, Corpses do not bleed when wounded. Corpses, despite being medically dead, retain a degree of motor function. They normally only walk very slowly, but can burst into a run when agitated and possess greater strength than normal humans, most likely due to their lack of sensation and inability to feel pain. The only driving impulse of the Corpse is hunger and it is only compelled to feed on living human flesh. Corpses need to feed on humans as the energy the flesh provides them slows their rate of decay. Most Corpses do not appear to be significantly decomposed. However, depending on time and how often they feed, they do eventually decay and their skin will fall away. This period of decay is a transitional phase for the Corpse as it will eventually become a more advanced zombie type called a Skeleton, or "Bony", which is much more aggressive than a Corpse. Psychology While Corpses are typically regarded as utterly mindless by humans, this is not entirely true. Corpses seem to adopt a kind of pack or family mentality, which explains why they are always encountered in large groups. It seems that they are still capable of conscious thought, but no longer understand what thoughts mean or how to express them. Corpses are also capable of limited communication; their communication consists of little more than snarls and grunts and a few non-vocal gestures that may convey simple messages such as "There is something here" and "Follow me". Corpses still possess a certain degree of memory of their lives before the infection. These remnants of memory can draw Corpses toward objects or areas that may have had meaning to them when they were alive. Some Corpses have also demonstrated linguistic memory and are able to speak using proper words, though their lungs and vocal chords no longer function properly so their speech comes out as a strained whisper. Weaknesses Like other zombie types, Corpses can only be killed by damaging the brain. They do not feel pain and do not require any of their organs other than the brain to function, so injuries to any other part of the body will merely slow them down. Category:Monsters in Literature Category:Movie Monsters Category:Humanoids Category:Undead Category:Toxic Creatures Category:Zombies